Vol. 525 No. 2
281 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the severe difficulties and safety issues faced by pregnant women and those with mobility problems because of severe overcrowding on DART and suburban mainline trains; the steps being taken to address these safety issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24311/00]
I have no statutory function in relation to this matter. Responsibility for ensuring the safety of railway operations rests with Iarnród Éireann. Accordingly, it is a matter for Iarnród Éireann to satisfy itself that the number of passengers being carried in any particular train or carriage does not compromise overall passenger safety.
However, I am very much aware of the discomfort passengers have experienced due to overcrowding on trains in recent times. There has been continuing growth in passenger numbers using the DART and suburban rail network and this has resulted in heavy loading at peak periods on most Dublin suburban routes.
The Government is conscious of the fact that this under-capacity of the Dublin suburban rail network is symptomatic of the pressure on the whole public transport system in Dublin and is addressing this issue in the short-term through the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and for the longer term through the DTO strategy 2000-2016.
I advised the House previously that there are no safety standards in place in relation to overcrowding on trains either in this country or at EU level. I am aware that the UK Health and Safety Executive last year examined the implications of overcrowding on railways and concluded that there is no evidence to suggest that overcrowding per se is a safety issue.
However, my Department's railway inspecting officers have been in contact with Iarnród Éireann on a number of occasions, drawing its attention to the importance of keeping this matter under review. Iarnród Éireann has commissioned an independent appraisal of the carrying capacity of all its rolling stock to ensure that the carriages are fit for their purpose. I expect that this report will be finalised by the end of this year.
Regarding the particular difficulties faced by pregnant women and those with mobility problems, and indeed the elderly, I would hope that there still exists in our society an expectation and acceptance that seats should be given up willingly to such persons.
